Easel



Dec. 11, 1934.

w. M. HANSON 1,983,981

EASEL V Filed July 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Walir ffmzson 52 4, k mz g Dec. 11, 1934. w, M HANSON 1,983,981

EASEL Filed July 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I h dlier fllianson Patented Dec. 11, 1934 'EASEL "WalterM. Hanson, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids,

Mich., a corporation of .New Jersey Application Julyf23, 1934,'Serial No; 736546 .4 Claims.

The present invention relates to easels .and more particularly to easel attachments for school :desks.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide a device of the character above indicated having adjustments adapting .it for varying needs and uses of the school pupil; to provide such :adevice-which when .being .adjus'ted for use or' which when being returned to its non-usable position by the pupil, cannot be'operated in a manner that might injure the pupil in the .seatforwardlythereof; .to provide such .a device designed to minimize eye-strain of the ,pupil .using it; .and, to provide a device of the character above indicated which is serviceable and utilitarian in use, economical in manufacture and which is adaptable for attachment 'to existing or present type school desks.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 .is a fragmentary perspective View of .aschool desk showing the manner inwhich the attached device of the instant invention may be adjustedfor use;

Figure '2 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the .device is consecutively moved from non-usable position to aposition for use and in a manner preventing the possibility of injury to the pupil seated forwardly thereof during its manipulation; v

"Figure .3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the swingable sup: porting arm "and its 'sw'ingably supported-arm a in adjusted extended position;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of thatportion of the device shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the mechanism by which injury toa pupil seated forwardly of the device isprevented during its operation;

Figure =6 is :a sectional view on line 6--.6 of Figure .3;

Figure '7 is a sectional view on line '7-"7 of Figure :3;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure v,3;

Figure :9 is a fragmentaryv'iew of the easel per se showing in full lines its two portions in their folded relation and in dotted lines its two portions in unfolded or work-supporting relation;

Figure 10 is an end elevational view of the easel shown in Figure '9, the full and dotted line disclosures showing the par-ts thereof in-the same relationship as they are shown in Figure-9 Figure 11 is an end elevational view of the easel showing the manner in which one of its portions is supported at an angle to its other portion by the bale; and

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the bale and themannerin which it may be seated when used to support one portion of the easel at an angle to its other portion.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts of the structure shown are designated by the same numerals in -the several views, a school desk 10 of the conventional type has its desk top .11 drilled to provide a vertical bore 12.

A collar 13 having a bore 14 0f substantially the same diameter as the bore 12 in the desk .top is provided with upstanding stops 1'5 and with depending lugs 16. This collar is mounted upon the desk top with its bore in registration with the bore in the desk top and the upper surface -of this collar forms a bearing for the laterally swingable supporting arm 1'7 whose vertically depending .pin "18 is disposed within the bores1-2, 14 of the collar and desk respectively. 1

This zpin protrudes below thelower surface of the desk top and is screw threaded to receive the nut 19 which when tightened against the washer '20 secures the arm 17 in horizontal swinging relation relative to the desk top. Since the upstanding stops contact the arm 17, the swinging movement of the arm 1'7 is limited and these stops thus prevent, its swinging beyond the forward side of the desk top to which it is attached avoiding possible consequent injury to the pupil seated at the desk forwardly thereof.

The other or free end of the supporting arm is provided, with, an upstandingtvertically disposed stud '21 which is rigidly fixedthere'to and with upstanding steps 22. This stud has a flat face 23 on one side of its peripheral surface and asupported arm 24 swingably supported on this stud is limited in its swinging movement by the upstanding stops 22 which likewise prevent its swinging beyond the forward side of the desk.

An easel generally designated 25 has a depending stud .26 rigidly fixed thereto which is rotatably journalled to the outer endof the supported arm .24. This stud is likewise provided with a flat face 2'7 on one side of its peripheral surface. vA horizontally disposed rod 128. interposed between the peripheral surface of the stud 21 and the flat face 27 of the stud 26 when the device is in non-usable position A as shown in the diagrammatic illustrations'of Figures "2 and 5, is slid to an interposed position between the flat surface 23 of the stud 21 and the peripheral surface of the stud 26 when the device is in usable position C or as better shown to theposition illustrated in Figure 1.

In operation, the easel is moved from nonusable position A as shown in the diagrammatic View in Figure 2 through the consecutive movement B to usable position C. Thus in the position A of the device, the rod 28 is disposed between the peripheral surface of the stud 21 and the fiat face 2'7 of the stud 26. When the supported arm 24 is swung to the position B, the

rod 28 no longer contacts the peripheral surface of the stud 21 but is opposite the fiat face 23 of its periphery since the stud 21 is rigidly fixed to the supporting arm 1'7. is then swung on the supported. arm 24 to the position C of the device, the rod .28 is slid against the fiat face 23 of the stud 21 by the camming action of the stud 26 in its rotation by the easel. The rod is thus now disposed between the fiat face 23 of the stud 21 and the peripheral surface of the stud 26 (see Figure Sincethe rod 28 is interposed between the peripheral surface of one stud and the fiat face of the other stud in its non-usable position A or in its usable position C, the device must be operated through the consecutive movements A, B and C or the reverse thereof. This necessary operation of the device prevents possible head or other bodily injuries to the pupil seated forwardly of the desk to which the device is attached when in its non-usable position A since it is impossible to revolve the easel counterclockwise or toward the desk forward of the desk to which the device is attached. The device may be further moved to adjusted position D if the student desires to bring the easel closer to him.

The easel per se preferably comprises a pair of folded portions 29, 30 here shown as hingedly connected together adjacent their upper horizontal lengths by hinges 31 to permit an unfolding upward movement of the forward portion 29 relative to the rear portion 30 from the position shown in full lines in Figures 9 and to position shown in dotted lines. This rear portion may if desired be formed of stamped sheet metal with a forwardly flanged portion 32 adjacent its lower horizontal length to form a support for books and the like and with a rearwardly flanged portion 33 forming a support for the forward portion 29 when in its upward or unfolded posiion.

This easel may likewise be provided with a bale 34 if desired and the bale is here shown as swingably secured about its horizontal axis to the open side of the forward portion 29 of the easel. The front side of the rear portion 30 of the easel preferably has means for supporting the bale which is here shown as a blankedout portion 35 (see Figure 12). Thus the bale may be swung downwardly when the easel is in unfolded position for retaining a book opened at a given place as shown in Figure 1 or the forward portion 29 may be supported at an angle to the rear portion 30 by the bale as shown in Figure 11 in which instance the forward portion of the easel maybe used as a fiat supporting surface.

It will thus be seen that the easel attachment for school desks and the like has been herein shown and described which is adjustable for varying needs and uses of the school pupil, which minimizes eye strain and which cannot be operated in a manner to cause possible head or body injuries to the pupil seated forwardly of the desk to which the device is secured.

While but one specific embodiment of this When the easel 25 invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction'shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a supporting arm having a stud provided with a flat face on one side of its peripheral surface, a supported arm swingably mounted on said stud, an easel having a stud rotatably journalled on said supported arm, said stud having a fiat face on its peripheral surface, and a rod interposed between the peripheral surface of the first stud and the flat face of the second stud adapted to be slid to an interposed position between the flat face of the first stud and the peripheral surface of the second stud by the rotationof the easel after a swinging movementof thesupported arm.

2. In a device of the class described, a supporting arm having a stud provided with a flat face on one side of its peripheral surface, a supported arm swingably mounted on said stud, means for limiting the swinging movement of the supported arm relative to its supporting arm, an easel having a stud rotatably journalled on said supported arm, said stud having a fiat face on its peripheral surface, and a rod interposed between th peripheral surface of the first stud and the flat face of the second stud adapted to be slid to an interposed position between the flat face of the first stud and the peripheral surface of the second stud by the rotation of the easel after a swinging movement of the supported arm.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting arm adapted for laterally swingable attachment to a desk and having a stud provided with a fiat face on one side of its peripheral surface, a supported arm swingably mounted on said stud, means for limiting the swinging movement of the supporting arm, means for limiting the swinging movement of the supported arm relative to its supporting arm, an easel having a stud rotatably journalled on said supporting arm, said stud having a fiat face on its peripheral surface, and a rod interposed between the peripheral surface of the first stud and the flat face of the second stud adapted to be slid to an interposed position between the flat face of the first stud and the peripheral surface of the second stud by the rotation of the easel after a swinging movement of the supported arm.

4. In a device of the character described, a member supporting a stationary supporting stud, said stud having a fiat face on one side of its peripheral surface, a second member swingably supported on said stud having a rotatable stud journalled therewith, said rotatable stud having a fiat face on one side of its peripheral surface, and a rod interposed between the peripheral surface of the stationary stud and the fiat face of the rotatable stud adapted to be slid to an interposed position between the fiat face of the stationary stud and the peripheral surface of the rotatable stud by the rotation of the rotatable stud after a swinging movement of said second member.

WALTER M. HANSON. 

